Matt Cooke

The Minnesota Wild have placed veteran left wing Matt Cooke on waivers, for the purpose of granting him his unconditional release. The Wild announced Thursday they will buy out the final season of Cooke’s contract, provided his clearance through waivers.

After another playoff exit, Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher says improvement has to come from within. As the Wild players packed up their locker room Monday after another season’s end at the hands of the Blackhawks, there was much talk of expectations.

Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Cooke has an injury that has clouded his availability for Game 1 of the first-round playoff series against the St. Louis Blues. Cooke did not practice Tuesday, due to what Wild coach Mike Yeo would only describe as “discomfort.”

The Minnesota Wild have put themselves on solid footing for the playoffs. They’re not in yet, though. The determination and desperation they’ve played with the last few months must be maintained to clinch a wild-card spot and have momentum for the postseason.

The weary Wild dropped their fifth consecutive game, including a 3-1 home loss to Nashville on Saturday night. Matt Cooke scored his third goal in the third period, and Niklas Backstrom had 31 saves in his third consecutive start.

The Minnesota Wild have done a good job of putting the brakes on Chicago’s high-flying offense through the first three games of the Western Conference semifinals. The Wild trail 2-1 in the series, but they have not allowed the Blackhawks to get more than 22 shots on net in a game yet. Now they get tough guy Matt Cooke back to help keep the defensive pressure going.

Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Cooke apologized Thursday for the knee-to-knee hit on Tyson Barrie that sidelined the Colorado Avalanche defenseman for at least a month, saying he did not intend to injure him.

Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Cooke has been suspended for seven games by the NHL for a knee-to-knee hit that injured Colorado Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie. Cooke was at the league office in New York on Wednesday for a hearing about the incident, and his punishment was announced about eight hours later.

Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Cooke has been summoned for a hearing at the NHL office in New York regarding his kneeing penalty that injured Colorado Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie. The league said Cooke’s meeting will be Wednesday afternoon. Game 4 is Thursday night, but Cooke likely will be suspended for that one and more.

Andy Greene scored from in close 2 minutes into overtime and the Devils snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night in Zach Parise’s first game back in New Jersey against his former teammates. Adam Henrique and Patrik Elias each had three assists and combined to set up the game-winner for New Jersey, which blew a two-goal third-period lead. Michael Ryder, Mark Fayne and Jaromir Jagr also scored for New Jersey, which played with a lot more energy with their playoff hopes fading in the wake of the losing streak.

The Minnesota Wild have placed left wing Zach Parise on injured reserve because of a bruised foot. The move was made Saturday. The Wild recalled goalie Johan Gustafsson from Iowa of the AHL to take Parise’s spot on the active roster, but Parise can be taken off injured reserve at any time. Parise has 15 goals and 12 assists in 37 games. He was hurt Nov. 25 at St. Louis and held out of the next game before returning to the ice four days later.

Ryan O’Reilly scored the only goal in the shootout, Semyon Varlamov stopped 35 shots and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Minnesota Wild 3-2 on Saturday night. Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon had a goal apiece to help the Avalanche sweep the home-and-home series with the Wild. John Mitchell added two assists for Colorado, which won a rare penalty-free game. Mikko Koivu and Matt Cooke scored goals and Josh Harding stopped 23 shots for the Wild.

October 5, 1993 was the first time the franchise formerly known as the Minnesota North Stars would play a home game somewhere other than Bloomington, Minn. That night, the Stars beat the Detroit Red Wings 6-4 in Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas – officially, and for the foreseeable future, to be known as the “Dallas Stars.” Though Minnesota hockey fans would count on the promise of a future franchise from the NHL, they had to wait seven long years to get it.

Matt Cooke’s goal gave Minnesota the lead in the second period, and Josh Harding made 14 saves for the Wild in a 2-1 victory on Thursday night over the Winnipeg Jets, their newest rival in the recreated Central Division.

One of the best things about sports is that each team has a rival or a villain who they just cannot stand to play against. Whether it’s somebody who managed to always find a way to beat you or someone who just rubs you the wrong way there is always one team you want to beat just because you want to stick it to that player.